Trunk.



Patented A-p'r. I, |902. I S. E. V. SEWARD.

T R U N K.

(Application filed Dec. 26, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Modell) JJWENTOR 'LL/TMW :s Firms cn, PR01-auras., WASHINGTON. n. c.

Nrrnn rains Partnern* arten.

SIMON E. V. SEWARD, OF PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO SEWARD TRUNK AND BAG COMPANY, OF PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA, A CORPORA- TION OF VIRGINIA.

TRUNK.'

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 696,846, dated April 1, 1902. Application iiled December 26, 1901. Serial No. 87,230. (No model.)

To @ZZ 1071/0711, it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIMON E. V. SEWARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Petersburg, in the county of Dinwiddie, State of Virginia, have invent-ed certain new and useful Improvements in Trunks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to trunks, and particularly to a novel construction for automatically raising and removing a tray when the trunk-lid is opened.

The invention has for an object to provide an improved construction of track or way for the front portion of the tray, which tray is pvotally connected at the rear to the trunklid, whereby the tray will be quickly raised and Withdrawn in the opening of the lid, so as to permit access to the interior of the trunkbody without the necessity of completely removing the tray therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved construction of the track and pivot bearing whereby the parts may be formed from a single piece of material and in condition for immediate application to the trunk and tray.

Another object of the invention is to provide a brace at the rear or hinge portion of the lid, so that the ordinary brace within the lid and trunk-body may be omitted and the tray iitted snugly to the lid to prevent lateral movement therein.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter be set forth in the specification and the novel features thereof deiined by the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective of a trunk having' theinvention applied thereto and with the lid opened. Fig. 2 is a vertical section with the parts in similar position in full lines and withV the lid closed in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective of the track or bearing. Fig. 4 is a similar view of the pivot-plate. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the journaling-plate for the rear of the tray. Fig. U is a vertical section showing a modified application of the track pivotally mounted for supporting the tray Within the lid; and Fig. 7 is asimilar View of a further modification, showing the track provided with a seat for preventing movement of the lid and tray when raised.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The letter A designates a tru nk, which may be of any desired construction or conliguration and is provided with a lid or cover A', pivolaliy connected at the rear by any desired character of hinge*for instance, a hinge Vas shown at A2 in Fig. .Z-provided with a brace member for preventing further backward movement of the lid when opened into a vertical position. The body portion may, if desired, be provided with the usual traystick A3 for supporting a second tray therein, and above this stick a track or way In is suitably mounted-for instance, as shown in Fig. S-upon an offset portion A, secured to the end section of the trunk A.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to quickly and automatically raise the outer end of the tray to the top ofthe trunkbody as soon as the lid has opened, so as to give the greatest possible opening for access to the lower portion of the trunk for the removal of the tray upon the sticks A3 or for access Ato articles in the body of the trunk. This result is accomplished by the inclination of the track B, which inclined portion extends less than one-half of the depth of the trunk, so as to immediately raise the front end of the tray to the upper edge of the body. The track Bis provided with a horizontal portion B at its upper end, upon Which the pivots O, carried by the front of the tray, rest when the lid is raised. The track is also provided with parallel flanges B2 and B3, the former of which forms a bearing for the ends of the pivots C to prevent lateral movement thereof and the latter the attaching means for securing the track to theportion A4 oit' the trunk. Intermediate of these fianges a bearing-face B4 is provided, upon which the pivots 95 travel. The pivots O are preferably formed of the casting, as shown` in Fig. 4, and secured to the lower front corners of the tray A5 to travel upon the track, as before described, and for the purpose of securing the ICO w extension G at its rear, so that it may be pivot in position three perforated lugs C are secured thereto and adapted to engage corresponding surfaces upon the tray A5. This tray is provided atits rear with ajournalingplate D, adapted to receive a.pivot E, carried by the inner face of the opposite ends of the lid. This plate is preferably formed of a single piece of material having upon two sides thereof securing-flanges D/ and inward therefrom is provided with an upset portion D2, having an open slot D3 therein, into which the pivot E just described is adapted to pass. This journalingfplate and pivot may be disposed in any desired relation to the .tray or lid, but is preferably used at a point sufficiently forward of the rear side of the tray to enable the latter to be lifted over the rear side of the trunk 'when the tray is elevated and swung into the lid, as shown in Patent No. 475,617, dated May 24C, 1892, granted to myself and Frederick WV. Leimberger, upon which patent the present invention is an im" provement. If it is desired'to fold the tray into a substantially vertical position within the lid, it may be secured by means of an apertured strap F upon the lid, adapted to engage a pin F' upon the tray, or in any other desired manner.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6 the track or Way Gis provided with a pivoting swung upward from its seat upon the portion A4 and engaged with any suitable device, as shown at G2, for sustaining the tray in a vertical position within the lid and when swung downward upon its support A4 performs all of the functions described for the track, as shown in Fig. 1.

Referring'to the modification shown in Fig. 7, the track or way II is secured to the support A4 and provided at its upper end with a horizontally-disposed portion H ,in which the notch or recess H2 is provided to receive the pivot H3, carried by the lower forward corners of the tray, and thus hold both the tray and lid against movementin either direction until the forward end of the tray be lifted to disengage the pivots from the notches.

The operation of the invention will be clearly apparent from the foregoing construction, from which it will be seen that the opening movement of the lid at once raises the forward end of the tray to the top of the trunkbody, and the inclination of the track relative to the point of pivotal connection of the rear of the tray to the lid renders such opening movement very easy and offers much less resistance than in the previous operation of these parts. It will be observed that the front of the tray when the lid is raised to its extreme position only moves backward about one-halfof the depth of the trunk, and it is therefore essential that the inclined portion of the track should extend for less than this distance in order that the maximum degree of elevation may be obtained during the limited movement of the tray, while the horizontal portion of the track provides a support for the pivot, which prevents the accidental slipping downward of the tray or the use of any braces or levers for retaining the parts against such movement. noticed that the track, pivot-plate, and journaling-plate are adapted to be formed of a single piece of material and in a single mechanical operation. This obviates the necessity for handwork thereon and permits the use of the same in connection with any trunk already constructed by simply applying the parts in the relations here shown.

It will be obvious that changes may be made in the details of construction and configuration without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined bythe appended claims.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claim,vand desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination with a trunk, of a lid therefor, a tray pivotally secured to said lid, and a track having inclined and horizontal portions upon an end face within the trunk and extending from the front of the trunk less than one-half the depth thereof to support the front portion of said tray, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with a trunk, of a lid therefor, a tray pivotally secured to saidlid, and a track for said tray having an inclined front portion and a horizontal rear portion composed of parallel flanges and an intermediate bearing-face at a right angle thereto; substantially as specified.

3. The combination with a trunk, of a lid therefor, a tray pivotally connected with said lid sufficiently forward from the rear side thereof to enable the tray to be lifted over the rear side of the trunk when thelid is elevated, and an inclined track for the forward portion of said tray extending less than one-half the depth ofthe trunk; substantially as specified.

4. In a'trunk, a'tray-track composed of a blank having parallel flanges at its edge, and

- an intermediate bearing-face at a right angle to said flanges; substantially as specified.

5. In a trunk, a journaling-plate having a securing-fiange at one side and end thereof, and an embossed portion disposed in a parallel plane to said flanges and provided with a free edge having an open slot therein; substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

SIMON E. V. SEWARD.

Vitnesses:

C. A. BRIDGERS, SAML. W. PRICE.

It will further bel IOO IIO 

